So, i crested 10 miles today. With no plates, fenders, front bumper, decklid, etc.
The shifter adjustment was a success. So was throttle body adjustment.
This thing RIPS. still louder than it should be. Need to investigate the header collector donut and see why its leaking. Hopefully i have another donut that fits if need be. No real budget room left.
I need to get the body done so i can get it on the grundy policy.
Tightened up the collector hardware and exhaust clamps. Seems to have cured the leaks.
Also, maxpeedingrods confirmed this morning that the srt4 adjustable damping coilover kit should be headed my way next week. This should be a fun shootout between the stock r/t stuff, stagg shocks and eibach springs, konis and xxhigh, and maxpeedingrods. I fully expect that the list i numbered them in is the order of ride quality vs handling. But, will be fun. Never played with cheap coilovers.
I REALLY need to get this thing legal...
looking like its time to finish the car.....
So, i have the rest of my body parts home. I also have the fully adjustable damping coilovers in to review. This should be fun!
Hope to have car assembled and plates on by Monday evening. Hope. Ways to go yet, but the light at the end of the tunnel is bright!
Smells like pee.
By "review" do you mean you got them in for free to evaluate? Are you now an influencer???
In reply to TVR Scott (Forum Supporter) :
He's been a bad influence most of his life.
TVR Scott (Forum Supporter) said:Smells like pee.
By "review" do you mean you got them in for free to evaluate? Are you now an influencer???
Im apparently cool enough to Chinese companies to be considered an influencer.
And yup, free. Ill actually be doing a cross comparison between stock r/t springs and struts. Stagg with eibach, koni yellows with mopar xxhd, and these. Same car, same course, same setup. I know Keith didn't think much of them in the miata application, but theres really nothing for first gen neon anymore. These are actually srt4 parts that i will modify for the first gen.
In reply to Dusterbd13-michael (Forum Supporter) :
I, for one, feel that this test should include at least one sweet jump.
painting the backside of the fenders. Seems like the thing to do.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ said:In reply to Dusterbd13-michael (Forum Supporter) :
I, for one, feel that this test should include at least one sweet jump.
Nope! Ill leave all the sweet jumps to you, you rally racer you!
Dusterbd13-michael (Forum Supporter) said:painting the backside of the fenders. Seems like the thing to do.
hmmm, seems like the thing to *before* spraying their frontsides...
In reply to Dusterbd13-michael (Forum Supporter) :
But Michael, people rally Neons! Those are potential customers, and without this very important test how will they ever know whether they can pee their dingrods to the max?
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ said:In reply to Dusterbd13-michael (Forum Supporter) :
I, for one, feel that this test should include at least one sweet jump.
Bold of you to assume they would survive one sweet jump.
AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) said:Dusterbd13-michael (Forum Supporter) said:painting the backside of the fenders. Seems like the thing to do.
hmmm, seems like the thing to *before* spraying their frontsides...
Probably.....
But sometimes im not all that bright.
No sweet jumps. Just no......
previously
budget spent: 1881.34
recoup: 1000
new money
traded leather seats for window tint and valve cover powdercoat
100 10-32 screws $10.99, used 10 $1.10
100 10-32 nuts $8.19 used 10 $.82
100 flat washers $7.99 used 10 $.80
100 lock washers $8.49 used $.85
TPS sensor 14.99
crank position sensor 11.25
gates black timing belt leftover from another neon: 12.01 per rockauto FMV
2 axle seals from oriellys: 5.38
two cans of white wheel paint 15.98
wheel bearing from oriellys 32.99
New total: 1972.51
recoup: 1000
so, lots has happened. Lots. Previously when I updated, the engine and trans were in on the mounts, and that's about it.
20200715_153617 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
I really wasn't digging the silver valve cover. I thought about stripping it again and actually polishing it this time, but just couldn't bring myself to do it. Seemed too much like work. So I cleaned and painted the eclipse valve cover.
20200716_152134 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
I went ahead and hung everything loosely in the engine bay, put fuses and relays in place, etc. just enough to have it fire up and run. Which it did!!! no muss, no fuss, no problems.
so we then went ahead and put everything in place in the engine bay for good.
20200718_160809 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20200718_160814 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
I also took a look at the air filter on the iceman. I had a much larger filter with similar critical dimensions I thought would fit, also a K&N. So, I put it in. its freakishly large.
20200718_154826 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
we burped the cooling system, checked fluids, did nut any bolt checks, made sure the fan worked, etc.
then we did this:
munchkin did all the video work. Shes 11, and just learning how to do it. Even doing a merit badge in scouts.
But, successful test drive! Except for the suspension noise.
20200719_084237 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
we figured out that the noise was a seriously bent hub. I unfortunately didn't have a spare, so had to source a bearing and hub assembly from the friendly local parts store. First FWD wheel bearing I ever did, and there's definitely a learning curve. Way different than RWD stuff. I also fixed a few little leaks from seals that had already been replaced once, re-bled brakes, etc. general tidy up stuff.
Then, fixed my depot euro headlights. These are the same lights I bought back in 2012, just trashed. One side had the bulb shield screw strip out of the plastic backing and drop the shield.
20200722_090807 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
So I baked it, jb welded the screw and shield back into place, and baked it back together. Cant tell anything was ever wrong!
I also grabbed my powerball and mag and aluminum polish and cleaned up the lenses. Used the NOS TYC gaskets that came with E36 M3box, mounted stuff up, and found the headlight bulbs are still good!
20200724_083317 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20200805_081844 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
walked away for a minute at this point to play with my wood lathe and duster. I needed a break for a couple weeks.
20200728_121453 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20200808_155421 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
art called me Wednesday morning, and told me to come by. I was slammed at work, so he sent me these pictures. I picked them up Wednesday after work.
received_317209642709392 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
received_729735044548420 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
thursday in between calls and dumpster fires, I taped off and painted that backs of the fenders. Figured it was a good idea.
20200813_141618 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
I also reattached the rubber to the cowl panel I had extra. Hopefully I can make this one fit a heck of a lot better than the one screwed down at the moment.
20200813_132147 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
last night, brother Dustin and I got the sheet metal hung. And adjusted. And then went for a drive. This thing RIPS. Unfortunately we kicked a code for timing belt jump. So, ill need to figure that out. But, not that bad. Also, need to finish wet sanding and buffing, put inner fenders in, etc. just sorting and detail work at this point really.
20200814_195934 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20200814_195946 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20200814_200001 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20200814_200406 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
also need to get the white wheels on.
Then, start doing my comparison testing for the adjustable damping maxpeedingrods srt4 coilovers. It'll be interesting to see how these compare to the tried and true koni yellows and mopar xxhigh springs.
20200813_131927 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
20200813_132139 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
until next time friends!
That's a damn nice looking Neon.
That might be a brand new sentence by the way.
That thing is PRETTY!
Thanks yall!!
I forgot in the update that i found a couple teething problems. Power steering belt doesn't want to keep tension properly, the car kicked a code for timing belt jumped a tooth, and the door ajar light doesn't go off.
At least it's not waiting for the challenge!
Dusterbd13-michael (Forum Supporter) said:AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) said:Dusterbd13-michael (Forum Supporter) said:painting the backside of the fenders. Seems like the thing to do.
hmmm, seems like the thing to *before* spraying their frontsides...
Probably.....
But sometimes im not all that bright.
No sweet jumps. Just no......
WINNING. holy hell is it just right!!!
Needs some sort of center cap, i think.
Oh yes.
It looks perfect! I still can't believe what you continue to accomplish within the budget constraints for your build!
Dusterbd13-michael (Forum Supporter) said:
Needs some sort of center cap, i think.
needs nothing,,,,master blaster!!!!
Dusterbd13-michael (Forum Supporter) said:
Needs some sort of center cap, i think.
2" electrical knock out plugs probably fit
solfly said:Dusterbd13-michael (Forum Supporter) said:
Needs some sort of center cap, i think.
2" electrical knock out plugs probably fit
2.44 inches according to the harbor freight calipers. Maybe a chain link fence post cap like i used on the duster?
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